Game playing device

ABSTRACT

There is described a game playing device ( 10 ) for receiving input data by scanning graphical information ( 160 ). The device ( 10 ) comprises a scanning arrangement ( 50 ) for transducing said input data from said graphical information ( 160 ). Moreover, the scanning arrangement further comprises computing hardware ( 30 ) coupled to the scanning arrangement ( 50 ) for receiving therefrom said input data comprising one or more of input parameters, software and solution parameters for controlling software execution within the computing hardware ( 30 ). Furthermore, there is also included a display arrangement ( 40 ) coupled to the computing hardware ( 30 ) for presenting graphical output information from the computing hardware ( 30 ) to one or more users of the device ( 10 ). Additionally, the device ( 10 ) further includes a user interface ( 60 ) coupled to the computing hardware ( 30 ) for receiving user input information and conveying said information to the computing hardware ( 30 ) for controlling operation of the computing hardware ( 30 ). The computing hardware ( 30 ) is operable to execute at least one of software pre-loaded thereinto or software subsequently loaded thereinto to drive the display arrangement ( 40 ), said software functioning in response to input information and/or parameters input to the computing hardware ( 30 ) from at least one of the scanning arrangement ( 50 ) and the user interfacing means ( 60 ).

The present invention relates to game playing devices; in particular,but not exclusively, the invention relates to a game playing devicesusceptible to receiving at least part of its input by opticallyscanning printed graphical information. Moreover, the invention alsorelates to methods of operating such devices.

Portable electronic game playing devices are well known. Such devicesare often susceptible to domestic use and each includes an outerplastics material casing housing an electronic unit coupled to a sourceof power, to a visual display and to a user interface. The source ofpower is conveniently a disposable battery. Moreover, the visual displayis conveniently one or more of light emitting diodes, liquid crystaldisplays and incandescent lamps. Furthermore, the user interface isconveniently one or more switches accessible at one or more exteriorsurfaces of the casing. Additionally, for example to reducemanufacturing cost, the electronic unit conventionally includes at leastone integrated circuit.

For example, in a published United Kingdom patent application no. GB 2,231, 701, there is described a hand-held electronic game-playingapparatus. The apparatus comprises a casing supporting liquid crystaldisplay devices, and control buttons connected to an internal controlcircuit operating on a predetermine program. The casing also supports acard reader for reading data encoded onto a magnetic card strip insertedinto the reader, and optionally also writing to the strip. A batteryholder is built into the casing to accommodate batteries for poweringthe apparatus. In operation, game data is read from the card strip tothe internal control circuit to present to a user of the apparatus viathe control buttons and the display devices a preferred game, forexample a simulation of a conventional fruit-machine game. Any gamewinnings are susceptible to being recorded onto the card strip, forexample for purposes of subsequent payment of winnings in response tothe user presenting or sending the card strip to an appropriate paymentestablishment.

Moreover, in a published German patent no. DE19923066, there isdescribed an electronic crossword apparatus for solving crosswordpuzzles. The apparatus includes a housing provided with amicrocontroller, a visual display and a plurality of spherical sensors.The spherical sensors are provided with letter markings thereon and arethereby susceptible for use in alphabetical data entry into themicrocontroller. Moreover, the spatial distribution of the sensors isoperable to provide a spatial display of letters akin to a conventionalcrossword puzzle. The visual display is operable to present to a user ofthe apparatus one or more clue words for prompting the user to rotateone or more of the sensors in response.

Furthermore, in a published international PCT patent application no.PCT/DE01/04776, there is described a computer device for playing games,in particular for the interaction of games figures susceptible toadopting a variable development state. The device is operable to readgame status data for controlling its function from device-detachableself-contained electronic memory units, thereby rendering the devicecapable of playing different games by substituting different electronicmemory units.

Recently, Nintendo Inc. has reported that it will shortly be releasingfor sale a portable electronic games device including an optical scannerfor use in optically reading customized playing cards comprising aprinted dot-matrix strip including up to 4 kBytes of data. The gamedevice further includes within its housing an image display togetherwith user operable controls and switches. Moreover, the housing furtherincorporates associated electronic circuits and a source of power, forexample a disposable battery.

The inventors have appreciated that games devices known in the artpresent one or more problems in use, for example they are at least onetoo inflexible to play a wide variety of games, and not rendered readilycompatible with conventional generally available media used for publicinformation exchange, in particular printed newspapers, printedmagazines and related paper-based products. In devising the presentinvention, the inventors have attempted to at least partially addressthese one or more problems.

A first object of the invention is to provide a game playing devicecapable of accepting input information in the form of paper printedgraphical information, for example printed ink bar codes.

A second object of the invention is to provide a versatile game playingdevice providing enhanced facilities and/or increased ease of use incomparison to known contemporary game playing devices.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provideda game playing device for receiving input data by scanning graphicalinformation, the device comprising:

-   -   (a) scanning means for transducing said input data from said        graphical information;    -   (b) computing means coupled to the scanning means for receiving        therefrom said input data comprising one or more of input        parameters, software and solution parameters for controlling        software execution within the computing means;    -   (c) displaying means coupled to the computing means for        presenting graphical output information from the computing means        to one or more users of the device;    -   (d) user interfacing means coupled to the computing means for        receiving user input information and conveying said information        to the computing means for controlling operation of the        computing means,

wherein the computing means is operable to execute at least one ofsoftware pre-loaded thereinto or software subsequently loaded thereintoto drive the displaying means, said software functioning in response toinput information and/or parameters input to the computing means from atleast one of the scanning means and the user interfacing means.

The invention is of advantage in that it is capable of addressing atleast one of the objects of the invention.

Preferably, the device includes network interfacing means forcommunicating with at least one of other game playing devices compatiblewith the device and the Internet. Such network interfacing means issusceptible to increasing a range of games that the device is capable ofaccommodating.

Preferably, in the device, the displaying means includes at least oneof: one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs), one or more incandescentfilament lamps, one or more liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and aninterface for presenting information onto a television-type apparatus.

Preferably, in the device, the interfacing means includes one or more ofthe following for entering data from one or more users to the computingmeans: one or more membrane switches, silicone conductive-materialswitches, conventional push-button switches, conductive pad switches,capacitance controlled switches, one or more stylus-type transducers.

Preferably, in the device, the interfacing means is susceptible toreceiving information from television-type remote controls. Suchcompatibility is of advantage in that it is susceptible to simplifyinguse of the device, rendering it less expensive to manufacture and/orincreasing it acceptability to users already in possession oftelevision-type facilities.

Preferably, in the device, the network interfacing means is arranged tosupport wireless communication, for example proprietary Blue-Toothand/or mobile telephony.

Preferably, in the device, the scanning means includes at least one of:a 1-dimensional array of photodetectors, a 2-dimemsional array ofphotodetectors, an optically-sensitive charge-coupled-device (CCD), ancomplementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) imaging device, amagnetic scanning device and an imaging scanning device. Morepreferably, in order to render the device yet easier to use with printedvisual material, for example bar codes, the scanning means furthercomprises synchronization marker sensing means for assisting thescanning means to temporally synchronize to moving visual data presentedthereto.

More preferably, the scanning means is capable of reading and conveyingvisual and/or magnetic information presented thereto to the computingmeans, said information comprising at least one of:

-   -   (a) executable software;    -   (b) software operating parameters including at least one of:        game configuration data, game difficulty parameters, game speed        parameters, game character parameters, game layout parameters,        device configuration data;    -   (c) one or more of: answers and solutions to one or more        pre-programmed games and software games input to the device via        its scanning means; and    -   (d) one or more Internet URLs.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provideda method of operating a game playing device for receiving input data byscanning graphical information, the device comprising:

-   -   (a) scanning means for transducing said input data from said        graphical information;    -   (b) computing means coupled to the scanning means for receiving        therefrom said input data comprising one or more of input        parameters, software and solution parameters for controlling        software execution within the computing means;    -   (c) displaying means coupled to the computing means for        presenting graphical output information from the computing means        to one or more users of the device;    -   (d) user interfacing means coupled to the computing means for        receiving user input information and conveying said information        to the computing means for controlling operation of the        computing means,

the method including the steps of:

-   -   (e) executing at least one of software pre-loaded or software        subsequently loaded into the computing means; and    -   (f) arranging for the computing means to drive the displaying        means, said software functioning in response to input        information and/or parameters input to the computing means from        at least one of the scanning means and the user interfacing        means.

Preferably, the method includes the step of arranging for the device tointerface with one or more of other game playing devices and theInternet connected thereto so as to provide for interactive game playingbetween a plurality of users.

Preferably, the method includes the step of arranging for the scanningmeans to be capable of reading and conveying visual and/or magneticinformation presented thereto to the computing means, said informationcomprising at least one of:

-   -   (a) executable software;    -   (b) software operating parameters including at least one of:        game configuration data, game difficulty parameters, game speed        parameters, game character parameters, game layout parameters,        device configuration data; and    -   (c) one or more of: answers and solutions to one or more        pre-programmed games and software games input to the device (10)        via its scanning means (30).

It will be appreciated that features of the invention are susceptible tobeing combined in any combination without departing from the scope ofthe invention.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of exampleonly, with reference to the following drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic of an embodiment of a game playing deviceaccording to the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the device of FIG. 1 configured in acommunication network configuration with other game playing devices.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a game playing device according tothe invention indicated generally by 10 and included within a dashedline 20. The device 10 includes an exterior casing (not shown)fabricated from injection-molded plastics material, for examplepreferably ABS and/or glass-filled nylon. The casing is arranged tohouse one or more electronic circuits 30 (ELECTRONIC CCTS.), a userdisplay 40 (USER DISPLAY), an optical reader 50 (OPT. READER), a userinterface 60 (USER INTERFACE), a power source (PSU) 70 and a devicenetworking interface 80 (NETWORK INTERFACE) for bi-directionallyinterfacing with other devices indicated generally by 100 compatiblewith and/or similar to the device 10.

The user display 40 comprises at least one of a liquid crystal matrixdisplay (LCD), one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs), and one or moreincandescent filament lamps although other types of light emittingdisplay are also optionally included. Moreover, the display 40 is userviewable through an aperture and/or substantially transparent viewingwindow provided in the aforementioned exterior casing. The power source70 is one or more of a disposable battery, a rechargeable battery and amains power supply; the source 70 and its component parts are alsopreferably included within the aforementioned casing.

The user interface 60 is implemented as user-operable controls and ispreferably implemented as at least one of: membrane switches, siliconeconductive-material switches, conventional push-button switches,conductive pad switches where finger tissue provides a conductive path,capacitance-controlled switches where change in capacitance caused byfinger proximity causing state switching, although other types of switchtechnology are alternatively or additionally employed. For example, theinterface 60 is optionally configurable to include also a stylus-typetransducer so that a user of the device is susceptible to inputting datato the device 10 in a manner akin to writing with a pen or biro ontopaper or card.

The electronic circuits 30 are preferably implemented as one or moreintegrated circuits mounted on one or more printed circuit boards. Suchone or more circuit boards are preferably mechanically rigidly supportedwithin the housing. Moreover, one or more of the user interface 60, theoptical reader 50, the user display 40, the power supply unit 70 and theinterface 80 are preferably mounted onto the printed circuit board.

The interface 80 is susceptible to being implemented by proprietaryBlue-Tooth radio communication technology operating at a communicationfrequency in the order of 1.5 GHz. Alternatively or additionally, theinterface 80 is susceptible to being implemented by one or more ofinfra-red line-of-site communication and ultrasonic communication, forexample using piezoelectric transducers operating in an acousticcarrier-frequency range of 15 kHz to 60 kHz.

The optical reader 50 is one or more of a bar-code reader and a2-dimensional image reader. It is preferably implemented using one ormore of a 1-dimensional array of photodetectors and a 2-dimenisonalarray of photodetectors, for example using a proprietary 1-dimensionaland/or 2-dimensional optical charge-coupled-device CCD or CMOS imagingintegrated circuit. Such imaging circuits are conventionally employed ininexpensive Web cameras, in low-resolution inexpensive digital camerasand mobile telephones with user-imaging facilities. The optical reader50 is preferably mounted on the aforementioned printed circuit boardaccommodating the electronic circuits 30. Alternatively, the reader 50is mounted on the housing and coupled in communication with theelectronic circuits, for example by way of Kapton flexible circuit boardconnection strips. Moreover, if required to read, for example, printedfeature cards 150 including program and/or parameter data in graphicalprinted form 160, the game playing device 10 is also provided with amotor drive assembly (not shown in FIG. 1) for propelling such printedfeature cards 250 at a predictable predetermined rate past the reader50. Yet alternatively or additionally, such printed cards 150 preferablyinclude timing features, for example a linear track of dashes for datasynchronization purposes, so that the reader 50 is susceptible to beingimplemented as a printed swipe card 150 reader and/or a swiped bar-codereader.

The reader 50 is optionally supplemented with or substituted by amagnetic strip reader for scanning magnetically cards and similar typesof objects for magnetically recorded data thereon.

As shown in FIG. 1, the interface 60, the reader 50, the display 40, theinterface 80 and the power source 70 are all coupled to the electroniccircuits 30.

Data input from the card 150 corresponding to the features 160 includedthereon are susceptible to including at least one of:

-   -   (a) executable software;    -   (b) software operating parameters; such parameters preferably        include one or more of game configuration data identifying one        or more pre-programmed games to be played, game difficulty, game        speed, game characters to be presented on the display 40, game        layout (for example shape of a cross-word puzzle blanked-out        spaces), and device configuration data (for example for enabling        the interface 80 to communicate with one or more of the other        devices 100);    -   (c) one or more of answers and solutions to one or more        pre-programmed games and software games input to the device 10        via its reader 50.

Inclusion of the interface 80 is potentially beneficial when the device10 is employed for competitive group game playing activities such asBackgammon, Diplomacy, Whist, Snap, Chess, Draughts and such like.

The reader 50 is also optionally susceptible, either alternatively oradditionally, to accepting electronic integrated circuit modulesincluding at least one of configuration data, software, softwareparameter data, Internet and game results data

Operation of the device 10 will now be described in overview withreference to FIG. 1.

In a first step, a user places the game playing device 10 on, forexample, his/her hand, on an upper surface of a table or desk, or onhis/her lap.

In a second step, the user then proceeds to activate the device 10, forexample by depressing one or more buttons or switches on the userinterface 60.

In a third step, the user then selects to scan one or more items ofinput information, for example a bar-code like feature printed in amagazine or newspaper.

In a fourth step, the user moves the one or more items of inputinformation spatially relative to the reader 50 so as to load one ormore of software, configuration data and solution data to the electroniccircuits 30.

In a fifth step, the user finally proceeds to instruct the device 10 viaits user interface 60 to execute one or more of the software just loadedinto the electronic circuits 30, execute software pre-loaded into thedevice 10 using configuration data just loaded into the device 10. Whereappropriate, the device 10 is also susceptible to presenting solutiondata via the user display 40 to the user, such presentation beingespecially appropriate when the device 10 is employed for educationalpurposes with young children where the device 10 is utilized as aneducational toy in venues such as kindergarten and child nurseries.

The device 10 is susceptible to being used as part of a networkconfiguration as illustrated in FIG. 2. At least one of the otherdevices 100 is preferably susceptible of providing a communication linkto the Internet. In such a configuration, data input via the reader 50is beneficially a URL (“Universal Resource Locator”), for example theURL is susceptible to enabling connection to an Internet web-site whereanswer data, playing parameter data and other types of data are present.

The interface 80 enables the user of the device 10 and the one or moreusers of the other devices 100 to play games as a networked activity,for example based upon software pre-load and/or subsequently loaded intoone or more of the devices 10, 100. The other devices 100 aresusceptible to being directly coupled to the device 10, for example asillustrated within a dotted line 105, and/or indirectly coupled, forexample illustrated for a remote device 110 indirectly coupled throughone of the devices 100 within a dotted line 115 to the device 10. Wherethe device 110 is an Internet connection, it is susceptible to providingInternet support to one or more of the other devices 100 as well as tothe device 10.

Preferably, the user interface 60 is adapted to accept input informationfrom standard proprietary remote controls as often employed to remotelycontrol items of domestic equipment such as television and such like. Ifrequired, the networking interface 80 is susceptible to including avideo output suitable for outputting to standard video apparatus such asdomestic televisions for presenting the user with larger-scale videoinformation, for example a relatively larger image of a cross-wordpuzzle where the user is poorly sighted and/or where a complete familyof people collaborate to solve a crossword thereby presented.

It will appreciated that modification are susceptible to being made toone or more embodiments of the invention described in the foregoingwithout departing from the scope of the invention.

In the foregoing, expressions such as “include”, “contain”, “comprise”,“have” and “incorporate” are intended to be construed to benon-exclusive, namely that other items not explicitly listed ormentioned are also susceptible to being present. Similarly, reference tothe singular, for example in the appended Claims, is also to beconstrued to include the corresponding plural.

1. A game playing device (10) for receiving input data by scanninggraphical information (160), the device (10) comprising: (a) scanningmeans (50) for transducing said input data from said graphicalinformation (160); (b) computing means (30) coupled to the scanningmeans (50) for receiving therefrom said input data comprising one ormore of input parameters, software and solution parameters forcontrolling software execution within the computing means (30); (c)displaying means (40) coupled to the computing means (30) for presentinggraphical output information from the computing means (30) to one ormore users of the device (10); (d) user interfacing means (60) coupledto the computing means (30) for receiving user input information andconveying said information to the computing means (30) for controllingoperation of the computing means (30), wherein the computing means (30)is operable to execute at least one of software pre-loaded thereinto orsoftware subsequently loaded thereinto to drive the displaying means(40), said software functioning in response to input information and/orparameters input to the computing means (30) from at least one of thescanning means (50) and the user interfacing means (60).
 2. A deviceaccording to claim 1, further including network interfacing means (80)for communicating with at least one of other game playing devices (100,105) compatible with the device (10) and the Internet.
 3. A deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the displaying means (40) includes atleast one of: one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs), one or moreincandescent filament lamps, one or more liquid crystal displays (LCDs)and an interface for presenting information onto a television-typeapparatus.
 4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the interfacingmeans (60) includes one or more of the following for entering data fromone or more users to the computing means (30): one or more membraneswitches, silicone conductive-material switches, conventionalpush-button switches, conductive pad switches, capacitance controlledswitches, one or more stylus-type transducer.
 5. A device according toclaim 4, wherein the interfacing means (60) is susceptible to receivinginformation from television-type remote controls.
 6. A device accordingto claim 2, wherein the network interfacing means (80) is arranged tosupport wireless communication, for example proprietary Blue-Toothand/or mobile telephony.
 7. A device according to claim 1, wherein thescanning means (50) includes at least one of: a 1-dimensional array ofphotodetectors, a 2-dimemsional array of photodetectors, anoptically-sensitive charge-coupled-device (CCD), an complementary metaloxide semiconductor (CMOS) imaging device, a magnetic scanning deviceand an imaging scanning device.
 8. A device according to claim 7,wherein the scanning means (50) further comprises synchronization markersensing means for assisting the scanning means to temporally synchronizeto moving visual data presented thereto.
 9. A device according to claim7, wherein the scanning means (30) is capable of reading and conveyingvisual and/or magnetic information presented thereto to the computingmeans (30), said information comprising at least one of: (a) executablesoftware; (b) software operating parameters including at least one of:game configuration data, game difficulty parameters, game speedparameters, game character parameters, game layout parameters, deviceconfiguration data; (c) one or more of: answers and solutions to one ormore pre-programmed games and software games input to the device (10)via its scanning means (30), and (d) one or more Internet URLs.
 10. Amethod of operating a game playing device (10) for receiving input databy scanning graphical information (160), the device (10) comprising: (a)scanning means (50) for transducing said input data from said graphicalinformation (160); (b) computing means (30) coupled to the scanningmeans (50) for receiving therefrom said input data comprising one ormore of input parameters, software and solution parameters forcontrolling software execution within the computing means (30); (c)displaying means (40) coupled to the computing means (30) for presentinggraphical output information from the computing means (30) to one ormore users of the device (10); (d) user interfacing means (60) coupledto the computing means (30) for receiving user input information andconveying said information to the computing means (30) for controllingoperation of the computing means (30), the method including the stepsof: (e) executing at least one of software pre-loaded or softwaresubsequently loaded into the computing means (30); and (f) arranging forthe computing means (30) to drive the displaying means (40), saidsoftware functioning in response to input information and/or parametersinput to the computing means (30) from at least one of the scanningmeans (50) and the user interfacing means (60).
 11. A method accordingto claim 10, including the step of arranging for the device (10) tointerface with one or more of other game playing devices and theInternet connected thereto so as to provide for interactive game playingbetween a plurality of users.
 12. A method according to claim 10,including the step of arranging for the scanning means (30) to becapable of reading and conveying visual and/or magnetic informationpresented thereto to the computing means (30), said informationcomprising at least one of: (a) executable software; (b) softwareoperating parameters including at least one of: game configuration data,game difficulty parameters, game speed parameters, game characterparameters, game layout parameters, device configuration data; and (c)one or more of: answers and solutions to one or more pre-programmedgames and software games input to the device (10) via its scanning means(30).